SEPA: Utilities and Electric Vehicles. The Case for Managed Charging

The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), a non-profit organization which facilitates collaboration across electric power stakeholders to enable the smart deployment and integration of clean energy resources, has published a report covering managed or smart charging which allows a utility or third-party to remotely control vehicle charging to better correspond to the needs of the grid.

The report describes how utilities can adjust to the growing energy demand resulting from rapid EV adoption. Time-of-use rates can help to shift the charging hours to the preferred times of the day (mainly late evening and early morning), but utilities must also avoid high costs of peak energy procurement and issues associated with high density EV penetration, while drivers need to be able to conveniently schedule their charging sessions.

eMotorWerks, as the leading provider of the smart charging industry, with its VGI (vehicle-grid integration) platform called JuiceNet can control vehicle charging, balance renewable energy generation, and provide demand response services to utilities. Owners of smart-grid enabled JuiceBox EV chargers and other JuiceNet-enabled EVSE through partners (such as AeroVironment, Clipper Creek, and Nayax) may participate in energy programs and earn money for charging.